Ready, Set, Learn!

School Readiness in the Early Years

The post-toddler years just before kindergarten are a time of big excitement and big transition – for both children and caregivers. During this developmental stage kids progressively observe, interact, and practice cooperating with others while becoming a little more independent each day. They make their first friends, experience new group activities like games and crafts, and explore knowledge and skills from learning about rules to creative thinking to problem solving. Parents can increasingly find themselves answering questions of “Why?” while being counted on to explain how stuff works or the reason things are the way they are.

During this time, we prepare children for the major milestone of entering elementary school. To be successful in school (and life), a child needs the language skills to communicate wants and needs and relationship skills to work with others. Luckily, there are many things you can do at home and in everyday interactions to nurture healthy early childhood education experiences with materials and supplies you already have.

How can I help prepare my child for the transition of entering school?

One of the most vital things you can do to set your child up for success is to read to your child! Reading together has huge benefits for both parents and children. This simple activity teaches them that reading is a fun and safe space, which will further encourage them to read in the future. Reading to young children also:

  • Helps them build language and literacy skills by exposing them to new vocabulary and ways of using words and phrases.
  • Promotes creative expression as well as listening and comprehension skills.
  • Builds empathy by teaching about feelings and emotions. Seeing how story characters handle emotions and then hearing from a caregiver about how to properly handle the emotion described in the book provides kids a model of understanding healthy reactions and how to handle tough situations.

There's no “right” way to read to your child; any time spent reading with your child is a step in the right direction. Even reading a book aloud while they play helps build those important skills.

Another way to set your child up for success is by bringing math concepts to real life. This can be really simple, like engaging your child in daily tasks that already involve numbers:

  • You can ask “How many plates do we need to put on the table dinner for everyone to have one?” or “How many cups are in the sink?”
  • When doing laundry, ask your child to help and work their math skills through matching. You can say “Help me find the pair of matching socks that go together.”
  • If you go for a walk around the neighborhood, ask “Do you see the numbers on the house?” This helps children learn what numbers look like, the difference between numbers and letters, and how to use them in our environment. That’s math!

As caregivers, how can we prepare ourselves to best support our children as they begin school?

In between work and a seemingly endless list of responsibilities, it can be easy to forget that caregivers are constantly learning too. Some of us might be first-time parents, have a child with special needs, and so on. Many of us are simply figuring it out as we go.

Be sure to give yourself grace during this period of adjustment – and focus on preparing yourself through:

  • Engagement. Where is the school? How do I get involved? How can I connect with support? Who’s on my team?
  • Resources. What do I have in my home to help my child build skills? How can I use these resources?
  • Fun. How can I have fun learning with my child about the world we live in? What’s something new I can learn today?

Preparing for the school year can be just as much of a learning experience for caregivers as it is for the child. It can help to identify early and ongoing opportunities for building up skills and practicing parent engagement – this helps ensure everyone is ready for the transition from pre–school to school.

Whether that is finding ways to involve your child in your day-to-day life or if it is by taking 10 minutes a day to read to them, find ways that feel enriching for both of you.

Relationships Matter

Perhaps the most important way you can help prepare your child for school is through developing a strong and trusting relationship with them. This influential bond guides kids to feel confident in modeling and creating the same kinds of positive connections at school -- with teachers, classmates, and their own sense of self. Building that sturdy foundation for relational skills is key in helping children engage in the community -- and world -- around them. This can be especially helpful for navigating potential school-related challenges and changes, like new routines or separation anxiety.

When a child has a parent or caregiver who cares about their learning, they have a safe and reliable support system through someone to lean on when they are struggling.

Developing a relationship doesn't have to be done through grand gestures or extensive actions that add to an already busy schedule. Showing that you care and are there often comes down to everyday acts of engaging interaction, healthy communication, positive experiences, and nurturing love.

What is HIPPY?

At North Range, we know that parenting doesn’t come with an instruction manual. It’s okay to need an extra helping hand along the way.

North Range’s HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) program can help you enhance your child’s overall development, strengthen parent-child learning, and set the stage for school success. HIPPY is offered at no-cost for families with children ages 2-5.

HIPPY home visitors will bring you the activities and the ideas and show you how to do it with your child. They will show you “the how” and then you have “the fun” with your child! HIPPY works with your schedule – whether that means weekends, evenings, online via Zoom, or during your lunch hour.

For more information, contact us or call 970.347.2120 and ask to be connected to Family Connects services. To fill out the interest form for HIPPY, click here.

Resources:

Acts of Connection

Loneliness is more than just a feeling; it's a growing epidemic. According to the US Surgeon General 2023 Report on Loneliness, nearly half of all U.S. adults experience loneliness and … Read More

Stronger Together

A few years ago, I fell in love with a well-known saying in the Functional Family Therapy world: "No one is to blame… and everyone is responsible." Initially, this was shared … Read More

Garden Tools for Wellbeing

This past summer, Family Connects teamed up with the Greeley Morning Garden Club to build a sensory garden for children receiving mental health services at North Range Behavioral Health’s Littler … Read More